In 2015, Drs. Alka Gupta and Chiti Parikh seized an opportunity to create and establish an Integrative Health and Wellbeing Program at NewYork-Presbyterian, in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine. Drs. Gupta and Parikh launched the program with the vision to provide patient care centered on prevention, lifestyle medicine, and wellness, and to provide more comprehensive care for chronic disease and symptom management. Since then, they have established and rapidly expanded the Integrative Health footprint at NYP.
Together, the co-directors strategically approached the new program with four goals in mind: build clinical volume; establish a physical space for the program within a newly constructed building; integrate the program in the NYP community; and raise awareness about integrative health care.
As the program progresses and grows, Drs. Gupta and Parikh focus on the importance of defining success, constantly reevaluating their efforts, and educating fellow healthcare providers. By 2018, they seek to significantly expand the clinical program’s reach into the New York City community, and launch programs in research and education.
